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Travel Inspiration FromTennessee Explorer Josh Ness

Tennesse Dept. of Tourist Development

Linden, Tennessee: If We Could Turn Back Time

There was a time when Linden was the town to stop in on the way out of Nashville while heading west.

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April 25, 2016

There was a time when Linden was the town to stop in on the way out of Nashville while heading west. A time before Interstate 40 where mom-and-pop-run bed and breakfasts gave travelers a place to stay and a good southern meal. Then came a new, shiny I-40, the Linden travelers slowed, and time took its toll on this small town. Hotels and gas stations shut their doors and the bank ran dry.

But this small town in Tennessee is turning back time.

We started off our trip with a relaxing mid-morning kayaking, up the Buffalo River with our friends over at Buffalo River Resort, where we dropped in right outside of town. We enjoyed the first warm day of spring under the sun jumping off trees and taking in the countryside while letting the current carry us most of the way.

Once we finished floating around, we had become quite hungry and decided to grab some food at the local Cajun cuisine spot, Boudreaux Bob's. We satisfied our fried seafood and sweet potato fries craving and decided to stroll around the strip where Linden was hosting their 8th annual Blooming Arts Festival.

Walking through the streets, we found some great home goods and handmade goods that we got to watch the artists make with fire and chainsaws.

After visiting all the shops and hanging out around the Commodore Hotel, we made our way out of town to try to find the Lady's Bluffs, but not having cell phone reception made it a little difficult. We found the signs that navigated us in that direction, but when the road ended into a river, we realized we missed the turn. Nevertheless, the river ended up being the Tennessee River that was actually huge and beautiful, so we didn't mind too much.

On your way out of town, be sure to stop by Hott's BBQ in Lobelville... Get a lot of good food for not a lot of money and support a family by buying what locals refer to as a "proper meal."